Graces Away
by Fuyukichi
Summary: Asbel, eleven years old, liked playing in the forest. But unfortunately for him, he get lost and arrives in a strange town where Spirits live without being in contact with humans. And that is there that he meets him for the first time.
1. Lost

_**A/N:** I had the idea while looking Spirited Away and couldn't help but write it. I'll try my best not to stuck to much at Spirited Away's story, but there wouldn't be a lot of difference, I think...Yet, I hope you'll enjoy it no matter what._

_It's part of Richass week, by the way (extra day). _

_I put it on "crossover" as I took Spirited Away story. But there are not characters from the movie._

_**Disclaimer:** Tales of Graces and Spirited Away don't belongs to me._

_Thanks to **Fjerilhaiva** who fixed my mistake._

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**Prologue**

**Lost**

The story that I will tell you is something that my brother told me a lot of time. At first I thought it was a fantasy of his until I had the proof in front of my eyes. Of course, you don't have to believe me; after all, it's something rather strange and, to tell the truth, unbelievable. I want you to remember that even if you don't believe in it, don't destroy the magic of the story.

Now, open big your ears and close your eyes and fall in this big dream.

**XXX**

It was a beautiful sunny day. Summer just began and, of course every children of Lhant – a town near of a forest – wanted to play outside. Asbel Lhant, eleven years old, son of the mayor, wanted to do so too. Unfortunately for him, he was forbidden of going outside because of the prank he had played to his father; and everybody knew that even if Aston Lhant was a good man, you couldn't play pranks on him, son or not.

But Asbel was a brat and, as always, he disobeyed to his father and left his room through the window. Strangely, it was something he was accustomed with. When his foot touched the grass of the garden, he grinned and, the more discreetly possible, he left the garden and then the town, heading for the forest.

It was something that he often did. The forest was like his second house and he liked played here. He imagined that he was a hunter, hunting a big monster, or a proud knight passing through a dungeon to rescue his beloved princess. It was always funny – a lot funnier than doing his homework or playing with the other children. Asbel didn't have a lot of friends; even his little brother, Hubert, had more than him, but he didn't care. He wanted a best friend, someone to who he could rely on, and share secrets with. Someone who would like him as he was. He hadn't found him yet.

As he was playing in the forest – this time, he was a merchant looking for his daughter – the sun began to set. He stopped, cursing because he had lost track of the time and hurried up to get back before everyone noticed his absence. So, he turned back and headed for the town, but after ten minutes of walking, he was still in the forest. He frowned. He hadn't gone that far in the forest, had he? He always stayed in the same part. He looked around; searching for the marks he had done on the tree the first times he came. And then, he realized: he didn't know this part of the forest. He went pale and, scared, he began to run, hoping to find back his road; but all he could do was arriving in front of a big door, leading to a dark place.

"Mom, Dad…" He whispered, more afraid than ever.

He should have stayed in his room, waiting for his father to let him go out. He should have taken care of what he was doing in the forest. Now, he was lost. He barely thought that that a big wind blew. Trees' leaves moved towards the big red door and Asbel tilted his head. _Maybe if I enter, I'll find someone? _He thought. If a door was there, perhaps it was because someone lived near there.

Taking a big breath, he entered. He sank deeper in the dark place, looking around, hoping that there wasn't something hiding inside. Then he stopped when he heard a noise. Scared, he held back his breath, waiting, until he noticed that the noise was a train. And if there was a train, it meant that people lived around and would be able to help him.

Smiling, he began to run and he exited the dark place to stand in a plain. He tilted his head, looking the shadows of buildings in front of him. It wasn't a city, he realized; he didn't know what it was, but it was very very very old. Curious and forgetting about his lost path, he went near the old and strange buildings. They were big and red, and in bad shape. They had notices with "Restaurant" or "Shop" written on it. _This place is strange…,_ the young boy thought but still, he couldn't help but continue his way.

Eventually, he arrived in front of a bridge. He began to cross it, but when he heard the train, he went to the railing and leaned, looking at the train that went until the horizon, emitting black smoke from his chimney.

"I wonder from and to where this train goes." He said.

He looked at the rails, trying to figure out the destination; it wasn't Lhant, there wasn't any train station. In the horizon, the sun declined more and more and the young boy sighed. It wasn't like this that he was going to come back at home. Then, he noticed that someone – or something – was looking at him and, a little bit scared, he turned his head.

And their eyes met for the very first time.


	2. The Other Child

**Disclaimer: Tales of Graces and Spirited Away don't belong to me.**

**This chapter hadn't been beta read. I'm sorry for all the mistake...**

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**I**

**The Other Child**

At first, he thought that it was an illusion, but the more he looked at him, the more he knew that it was real. Standing in front him, mouth opened, there was a child around his age. He had big brown eyes – and beautiful, Asbel thought – and a lovely oval face. He had short blond hair that fell on his shoulders. For an unknown reason, Asbel wanted to touch them, but he couldn't do any move. The boy was a little bit taller than him and, Asbel could feel it, smarter than him.

"Who are you? Why are you there?"

The other boy looked surprised to see him and Asbel wanted to answer, thinking that they could be friend. But as he was going to do it, light appeared inside the old buildings. Asbel's eyes opened wide. How was it possible? There was nobody but the other boy and him here, right?

"They will open soon!" The other child said. Then, turning toward the young boy: "Leave at once!"

"What?"

"Do not ask question and leave this place, go back at your home!"

The boy pushed him and Asbel almost fell. He looked back at him but at this very moment, the blond boy blew, and a big wind pushed hard Asbel who could only ran. He ran away quickly between all the shops but stopped when he saw shadows appear. His eyes opened wide and he couldn't move anymore. One of the shadows stopped in front of him and, suddenly, a big scream came out from his mouth – could he call it a mouth? – and every one of them looked at him.

"HUMAN!"

It was the signal. Asbel began to run away quickly, his heart beating against his chest as if it wanted to leave it. He could feel sweat under his clothes, and fear was his energy. He left the city, went down some stairs and entered the plain. But his foot sank in water, wetting his clothes, and scared, he turned back. He stood in front of the plain that had become a sea.

Asbel sat down in the grass, shaking, and looked around him. What the hell had happened? What was this place!? It was something weird, with all those monsters…! And that boy around his age, who was he? Did he live there? It was impossible! The young boy sighed and looked at his legs, noticing that he wasn't cold. And then he realized that he was disappearing! He panicked and screamed, before he left to hide behind a building.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but given the black sky, it was probably late. Were his parents looking for him? How did they feel? Would he be able to come back? Given his state, he would be disappeared before going back. Already, he couldn't see his hands anymore.

"Hey."

Asbel raised his head and his eyes met the other boy's one. He looked away, scared, and said:

"No, leave me alone!"

"You have to eat." The other boy said in a soft voice, putting a ball of… - meat? - in front of his eyes.

"No, I won't! It will kill me!"

He heard the blond boy sigh and suddenly, he was in front of his eyes. He smiled a little and Asbel felt a little bit less scared. The boy looked kind, but could he trust him? Perhaps this ball of meat – was it really meat? – would kill him and the boy would eat him?

"If you don't eat something of this world, you'll disappear. Please, eat."

Asbel looked at the boy, dubious, then looked at his hands and showed them to him. He didn't have hands, or at least, they were already disappeared. He saw the blond boy raising his eyes than he put forcefully the ball of meat inside Asbel's mouth.

"Chew and swallow!"

"Yuk! It's awful!"

But even if he didn't like it, he swallowed it. He pulled a face and he smiled when he saw his hands and the other parts of his body coming back.

"Thank you." He said but the other boy didn't reply.

He looked at the sky, eyes screwed, and then, quickly, he hugged Asbel and pressed him against the wall of the building.

"What the—"

"Shhht. Emeraude is searching for you." He explained, putting his hand on his mouth.

They waited for a while, quietly and Asbel didn't dare to breath. Then the boy putted off his hand and the lost boy took a big breath. For a moment, he thought that he was going to die.

"Who are you?" He finally asked, curious.

"You can call me Rich."

"Rich, huh?"

What a strange name! Which parents could name their child like that?

"So, Rich…Where are we?"

Rich looked at him and he sighed before replying:

"In the Spirit World and more exactly at Midnight Town."

"O-Okay…"

In the Spirit World. Well, it was strange but with what he had seen, he wasn't too astonished. He had a lot of questions but the only one he asked was:

"How can I come back at home?"

Suddenly, Rich looked sad and Asbel's heart stopped for a few seconds. It wasn't a good thing.

"You can't anymore. You're trapped here."

"But…! But my parents!? My brother!? They'll be worried!"

"They will forget about you, in the end, because you're not in their world anymore."

Tears appeared on the corner of his eyes and began to fall. So they would forget him. It was an awful thought; yet it was his entire fault. Why did he have to leave his room? If he had been there until his father authorize him, and then he wouldn't have been trapped in the Spirit World.

Rich stood up and gave him a hand. Asbel took it and stood; Rich erased his tears and said in a soft voice:

"It's okay, you're not alone."

"What am I going to do? I have nowhere to go…"

"Follow me."

Still hand in hand, the two boys walked, passing through the city. Asbel looked at all the shadow, saying to himself that it was Spirits. It was strange, he thought, because he had never believed in Spirits.

"Are you lost too?" He asked the blond boy.

"No."

So Rich was a Spirit? He looked so…human. Was he the only one or did other human spirits exist? He wanted to ask but at the same time, they arrived in front of a bridge that leaded to a big building with a lot of light. Asbel had to screw his eyes because of that.

"When I tell you, you stop to breath." Rich whispered.

"What?"

"You're a human and spirits aren't fond of humans."

The explanation was strange but Asbel didn't try to have a little more of it. Spirits hated humans, and humans didn't care of Spirits; it was probably because of that. The two boys began to cross the bridge and when Rich whispered him to not breath, Asbel did his best.

A frog appeared in front of them, jumping, and exclaimed:

"Master Rich! Master Rich! There is a human in our world! You have to search for him!"

"Wait! A frog who can talk!?" Asbel couldn't help but ask.

Realizing his mistake, he put his two hands on his mouth. Rich reacted quickly and he blew: the frog froze and quickly, the two children crossed the bridge. They ran faster and faster and Asbel couldn't see in front of him anymore as everything was fuzzy. They arrived in a garden inside the big building and they hid behind a shrub.

They could ear agitation inside the big building and Asbel wondered if they were searching for them, or rather for him. He was going to ask Rich, but at the same time, the blond looked at him with his big brown eyes and put a finger on her forehead.

"Listen to me." He whispered softly. "Behind you, there is a door. Take it and go down the stairs. Take the second door and you'll be at the boiler. There, you'll meet the old Captain and you'll ask for a work. Understood?"

While Rich gave him all the indications, pictures of the way filled his mind and Asbel knew that it was the power of the other child. And he wasn't scared at all. What a strange thing!

"I think so."

"Good. You're a courageous child, Asbel." Rich smiled.

"How do you know my name?"

"I know you since a long time. Now, let's go!"

And before Asbel could reply something, Rich stood up and joined all the people inside the big building.

"Master Rich! Master Rich! Where were you!?" Someone asked.

"I was searching for the human too." Asbel heard Rich replied.

The young boy sighed and closed his eyes. What a strange place! And it was his entire fault if he was there. He opened his eyes and looked at the door behind him. He didn't have a choice, huh?


End file.
